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Cellulose and Pectic Polysaccharides

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Towards Biomimicking Wood: Fabricated Free-standing Films of Nanocellulose, Lignin, and a Synthetic Polycation

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Whitened Lignin-rich Cellulose Nanofibrils: Breaking the Color Constraint while Retaining High Lignin Content and

Rongrong Qiao¹, Zhijiang Shao¹, Yuan Xu¹

¹College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.

Biomacromolecules

|June 3, 2026

Summary

Researchers developed a method to whiten lignin-containing cellulose nanofibrils (LCNFs) while retaining their beneficial properties. This process enables the use of LCNFs in applications demanding high whiteness and color fidelity.

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Published on: January 7, 2019

Area of Science:

Materials Science
Biomaterials Engineering
Polymer Chemistry

Background:

Lignin-containing cellulose nanofibrils (LCNFs) possess desirable properties like UV shielding, hydrophobicity, and thermal stability.
The inherent dark color of LCNFs due to lignin content restricts their use in applications requiring high whiteness and accurate color reproduction.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop a method for whitening LCNFs without significantly compromising their lignin content and functional properties.
To overcome the limitation of dark coloration in LCNFs, expanding their application scope.

Main Methods:

Lignin pre-enrichment via dilute sulfuric acid pretreatment to remove acid-labile carbohydrates.
Chromophore-selective oxidative whitening using alkaline hydrogen peroxide to degrade colored lignin components.
Mechanical fibrillation to produce whitened LCNFs (wLCNFs).

Main Results:

Achieved high whiteness (70-82) in LCNFs while maintaining significant lignin content (20.20-25.20 wt %).
The highest lignin wLCNF contained more lignin (25.20 wt %) than the original feedstock (23.40 wt %).
wLCNF films exhibited good mechanical strength (∼120 MPa), reduced water vapor transmission, and strong UV blocking.
Incorporation of 5 wt % wLCNF into sunscreen significantly increased Sun Protection Factor (SPF) from 15.8 to 37.6 without imparting visible color.

Conclusions:

The developed oxidative whitening strategy effectively decouples lignin content from dark coloration in cellulose nanofibrils.
Whitened LCNFs retain key functional properties and can be utilized in applications demanding both high whiteness and UV protection, such as in sunscreens.